John Belushi

John Adam Belushi (January 24, 1949 - March 5, 1982) was an American actor and comedian.

Belushi's first big break as a comedian occurred in 1971, when he joined the Second City comedy troop in Chicago. Thanks to his uncanny caricature of singer Joe Cocker's intense and jerky stage presence, he participated in National Lampoon's "Lemmings" stage show in 1972 (which also featured future Saturday Night Live performer Chevy Chase).

He achieved national fame with his work on Saturday Night Live, which he joined as one of the original cast members in 1975. He left Saturday Night Live to pursue a film career, and he appeared in a number of movies, including The Blues Brothers (with Dan Aykroyd) and Animal House.

He was also known to indulge in bouts of drinking and involvement with drugs which eventually cost him his life.